Jessica O'ConnorThe Government has announced a major reform to teacher training routes, reducing the duration of postgraduate teaching apprenticeships (PGTAs) from 12 months to nine in an effort to get thousands more teachers into classrooms more quickly.
The change, which takes effect from August this year, aligns PGTA courses with the academic school year and is designed to ease entry into the profession and address persistent teacher shortages.
This reform is part of a broader drive to recruit an additional 6,500 expert teachers by the end of the current Parliament under the Government’s Plan for Change.
By streamlining the PGTA process, ministers aim to remove barriers that have made it difficult for schools to support apprentices and for trainees to transition smoothly into teaching roles.
Currently, courses run from September to the following September, creating a lag that delays employment and complicates school staffing arrangements.
The popularity of the PGTA route has surged, with a 58% increase in uptake in recent years, as more individuals seek the opportunity to earn while they learn through hands-on classroom experience.
However, demand has far outstripped supply. In the last year alone, over 2,800 eligible applicants were unable to secure places on these highly sought-after courses.
More than 1,400 people did train via the PGTA pathway this year, highlighting both the appeal and the limitations of current provision.
Schools Minister Catherine McKinnell welcomed the changes, describing them as a logical and necessary step to meet the country’s need for high-quality educators.
She said: “Recruiting and keeping high-quality teachers in our classrooms is the single biggest driver of high standards in schools.
“Bringing teaching apprenticeships in line with the school year will open the doors for more and more people to become brilliant teachers, shaping the lives of the next generation.”
The PGTA reform is one of several measures the Government is taking to improve recruitment and retention in the teaching profession.
Financial support includes grants of up to £28,000 for schools to cover training costs for apprentices in shortage subjects such as mathematics, chemistry, physics, computing, biology, and modern foreign languages.
These apprentices do not pay for their training and earn a salary while they train, eventually transitioning to full-time teaching roles with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Dan Harrison, a biology PGTA apprentice at Outwood Academy Acklam, said: “It’s been a great way to quickly get to grips with the day-to-day practicalities of the role, while also understanding the underpinning theory of what makes great teaching.
“I’ve really enjoyed being fully embedded in the teaching community at my school.”
Reuben Moore, executive director of programmes at the National Institute of Teaching, added: “The potential of teacher apprenticeships is significant, strengthening routes into the profession and helping to reach a range of candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds in hard-to-recruit areas where teachers are needed most.
“The hands-on learning offered alongside critical reflection through the apprenticeship route means that trainees can become fully qualified teachers in less time, without compromising on the quality of teaching or educational outcomes.
“We welcome the government’s efforts on removing barriers to this important training route, not only focusing on its impact but the opportunity to grow it further and help ensure that all children have access to an excellent education.”
